In Memoriam: Katherine A.H. Graham

The Faculty of Public and Global Affairs and the School of Public Policy and Administration are saddened to announce the passing of Professor Emerita Katherine A. H. Graham on December 16, 2025.

Katherine Graham was a distinguished scholar, leader, and public servant whose career profoundly shaped the fields of public policy, local governance, community development, and Indigenous policy in Canada.

She served for many years as a Professor of Public Policy and Administration at Carleton University, and was Dean of the Faculty of Public Affairs from 2003 to 2009 and Associate Dean (Research and Faculty Development) from 1998 to 2002.

Dr. Graham was deeply committed to community‑university partnerships and sustainable community development. She served as Coordinator of the Carleton‑Batawa Initiative, aimed at making the community of Batawa a model for rural sustainability and community innovation.

She was also Chair of Community-Based Research Canada, a national network promoting collaboration between universities and community organizations to advance engaged research across the country.

Dr. Graham served as one of the founding members and a senior fellow of the Carleton Centre for Community Innovation (3ci). In 2009, the university established the Katherine Graham Lecture on Indigenous Policy in her honour.

Flags at Carleton University will be flown at half-mast on Friday, December 18 in honour of Katherine Graham. Plans to remember her will be shared with the Carleton community in the new year.